Ardently Hers
by Aila Pemaryn Allen
Summary: Elizabeth considered herself quite adept at sketching a person's character. However, when a series of unfathomable events occurs and turns her life on its head, she is forced to see in the most heartwrenching of ways just how very wrong she has been in two particular instances. Will she make it through or will she be permanently altered from who she once was? Content warning.
1. Author's Note - PLEASE READ

_**Dear Readers,**_

 _ **First, may I wish you all a very happy Christmas. I'm terribly sorry for the long wait for the next chapter and offer my most sincere apologies. However, I have some news. As I have worked on my story, I have revised and altered some of it, and it has become increasingly difficult to keep track of what has or has not been published and where to begin and end each chapter. Therefore, I am temporarily deleting Ardently Hers.**_

 _ **Have no fear, my loves, for it will all be restored. However, there will be some changes and some of them may not be entirely liked. The biggest change that I'm worried about is the addition of the assault scene between Elizabeth and Wickham. After the revision, Ardently Hers will truly ear its M rating. I reveal this to you all now so that no one is caught unawares. The story will be more graphic than it currently is and I understand if some of you are uncomfortable with that and do not wish to continue reading. I thank everyone who has supported me in my work and offer much love to you all.**_

 _ **-Alia**_


	2. Chapter One

_Chapter One_

 _ **Monday, 04 November 1811**_

 _ **Clearing in the woods between**_

 _ **Longbourn and Netherfield Park**_

She was shaking. So hard her teeth were chattering, but the chill in the air was not the cause. No, the brisk November breeze was the only thing providing her with any comfort. She felt the telling prick behind her eyes and tears trickled down her face as her knees buckled under her weight and she dropped like a stone to the hard ground beneath her feet.

" _Ungrateful… No good… Impertinent child… Your brother should have lived instead!…"_

Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut and wrapped her arms tightly around herself as her parents' words echoed in her ears. She stayed like that for a long while, completely oblivious to the passage of time. Without warning a sob escaped her lips, then another, and another, and soon she was unable to stop. So distraught was she that she did not hear the sound of another person's approach.

Suddenly, a pair of strong arms and a familiar scent enveloped her, and soft murmurs broke through her consciousness. No. Not murmuring. Words. They were words. She focused hard on understanding what they were saying.

"Breathe, Elizabeth, you must breathe."

She recognized the voice almost immediately and her eyes, which she realized had remained closed until thus, sprang open. Sure enough, when she looked up Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy himself was on his knees next to her, holding her tightly to him. He was rubbing her back soothingly and rocking gently as he spoke to her trying to calm her.

"That's it, dearest. Everything shall be well, but you must calm down or I fear you might take ill. Deep breaths Elizabeth."

And she obeyed. Her breathing began to settle and slow, but he did not move away, simply continuing to cradle and rock and comfort her. Eventually, her heavy breaths regulated and soon only a stray tear now and then gave proof of her distress. Finally, she raised her head from where it rested on his shoulder and watery brownish-green hazel eyes locked with blue.

"Mr Darcy?"

….

 _ **Monday, 04 November 1811**_

 _ **Netherfield Park**_

He had to remove himself from this house.

Well, maybe not the house, per say, as much as it's hostess, for one minute more in the presence of Miss Caroline Bingley would surely drive him barking mad. Therefore, when her brother and his good friend Charles proposed a visit to call at the neighbouring estate so he might look upon his 'angel' Miss Jane Bennet, William pounced on the opportunity. Not only did it give him the means to effectively avoid his clingy hostess, but it also granted him leave to see Miss Bennet's younger sister, his own 'angel', Miss Elizabeth.

He had weeks ago given up the futile task of denying his feelings for her. She was the most singular woman he had ever encountered and convincing himself he did not admire her was a hopeless feat. He now found himself more than willing to endure her silly, ill-mannered family to have the chance to be in her presence. However, he was destined to be sorely disappointed apparently.

Upon arrival at Longbourn, the gentlemen found the household and its residents tense albeit still hospitable. After sitting, or in his own case standing by the window, for some time in polite but strained conversation, Miss Bennet, bless her, suggested a turn about the garden. Bingley's entire countenance lit at the idea and William offered to go along as a chaperone. Anything would be better than remaining with Mrs Bennet, who was very obviously simpering over something and barely restraining herself.

They walked for a short while, Bingley and Miss Bennet conversing together. He ignored most of the exchange, lost in his own thoughts until his friend said something that caught his attention.

"I noticed one of your sisters was not amongst the party in the parlour. Miss Elizabeth is not ill I hope."

Jane's expression grew wary and she glanced about, first back at the house, then over towards a path leading out of the garden and into the trees. "No, she is not ill."

"Miss Bennet, forgive the inquisition," William spoke up, glancing between the young lady and the path she had been eyeing. "Is your sister quite alright?"

"Propriety begs me not to speak of it outside the family," She hesitated and chewed her lip, then sighed. "However, I've become terribly worried. She's been gone many hours now. This morning Mr Collins offered for Lizzy's hand in marriage."

' _What!?'_ His mind screamed as his stomach clenched in jealousy and disgust at the toad-like man's audacity.

"Of course she refused him, and Mama became quite disgruntled. She began to yell at Lizzy, demanding she marry him. When she still refused our mother began to shriek the most horrible things to and about her. Anyone who knows my sister or has spent even a short amount of time in her presence knows how stubborn and opinionated she can tend to be," Both men nodded their agreement for they knew all too well to what Miss Bennet spoke, "but deep down Lizzy has always had a tender, sensitive heart. She may try not to show it, or pretend slights directed at her have no effect on her by making a jest of them, but they do hurt her, most times very deeply.

"All our life our mother has treated her a little more harshly than my other sisters and myself. You see, Lizzy had a twin. Elijah Augustus. The only son my parents were ever be blessed with it seems. When he and Lizzy were but six years old, the three of us had gone with some of the other children in the area to a local swimming hole one day during the summer. Lizzy was a decent swimmer, but she was always a little fearful at first to get into the water. That day was no different. One of the other boys thought it would be funny to get it over with and push her in, however, he didn't recall that that particular spot was quite deep. When he pushed her in, she sank some ways and her foot got caught on a submerged tree branch. Elijah dove in after her and freed her, but he hit his head as he came up. He drown.

"Mama has always irrationally blamed my sister for his loss and has been colder because of it, and unfortunately it has taken a toll over the years. Lizzy has grown to think lowly of herself and blame herself for the loss of our brother, despite my efforts to convince her otherwise."

William felt as though he had been punched in the gut as he listened. Suddenly the night of the Meryton Assembly came vividly and unbidden to the forefront of his mind and he recalled with regret the opinion he had expressed aloud to Bingley pertaining to Elizabeth Bennet. He wanted to thrash himself.

"I'm afraid the dreadful slurs my mother threw at her may have been more than she could handle this time. She raced from the house without a word to anyone, and that has been a great while ago and she has yet to return. I fear something has happened. She has not been herself in a day or so and this seems to have been her final breaking point." Jane sniffed.

Without a second thought, William turned on his heels and started down the path toward the trees.

"Darcy! Where the devil are you going?"

"To find Miss Elizabeth."


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

 **Warning! Violence and Sexual Content!**

 _Without a second thought, William turned on his heels and started down the path toward the trees._

 _"_ _Darcy! Where the devil are you going?"_

 _"_ _To find Miss Elizabeth."_ He called over his shoulder and continued on his way.

He wandered down the trail for quite some time, and after over a mile he began to think that perhaps she had gone a different way. He was on the verge of turning back when he finally heard something further ahead. Following the sound, he found her in a clearing, on her knees and crying as though her heart had broken.

"Miss Elizabeth, are you well?" He asked cautiously. He received no answer. "Miss Elizabeth?"

Finally unable to restrain himself any longer, he kneeled beside her and gathered her into his arms, speaking softly in an effort to soothe her. At length she became aware of him, and yet, when she looked up and saw it was he that held her, she made no move to break free of his embrace.

"That's it, dearest. Everything shall be well, but you must calm down or I fear you might take ill. Deep breaths Elizabeth."

She did as she was told and was soon much improved. Still, he held her.

"Mr Darcy?" She met his eyes, hers more brown than he had ever seen them and confusion clear in their depths.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded slightly. "What are you doing out here?"

"Bingley decided to call at Longbourn and brought me along. We took notice of your absence and he inquired after your health when we took a walk in the garden with Miss Bennet. She was worried about you and shared the events of this morning."

Her eyes widened and she jumped to her feet, scurrying away from him as her cheeks flushed humiliation. He stood with her and reached out to stop her from leaving, grasping at her wrist and pulling her back. "Please, do not be embarrassed, I-"

As his fingers wrapped around the wrist she cried out painfully. He released her at once and she cradled the appendage to her chest. Worry tinged with curiosity filled him and he stepped up in front of her, holding out his hand, palm up in silent request to see it. She made no move to show him, but neither did she back away from him so he took that as a sign and gingerly took her hand. He rolled up the sleeve of her spencer and tensed in shock and horror at the sight of the nasty blue and purple bruise that marred the beautiful creamy skin. It completely encircled her wrist and after further inspection, he almost growled at the realization that it was a distinct impression of a person's hand. He glanced up from his examination to find her watching him, fear and fresh tears building in her eyes, and suddenly his heart constricted.

"Take off your jacket," he whispered. The tears overflowed and ran silently down her cheeks, but she did as he asked without complaint.

It was as he feared. More dark bruises covered each arm, some even disappearing up under the sleeves of her gown. He had another thought, and he watched her face as he slowly kneeled and ever-so-carefully lifted the hem of her skirts, praying to God he was wrong. He wasn't. More bruises dotted her legs.

A sob left her and he stood, cupping her cheek gently and wiping a few stray tears away. "Tell me."

"He attacked me as I walked home the evening before last… I fought him with all I had in me but I couldn't-"

 _ **Friday, 01 November 1811**_

 _ **Woods between Meryton and Longbourn**_

 _Elizabeth sighed as she strolled down the well-worn path through the woods. She and Jane had only been home since Monday, and already her mother was wearing on her nerves. She was simply thankful she had been able to escape the house without the notice of her odious cousin. Her mother, it seemed, had taken it into her head to convince Mr Collins that Elizabeth would make him the perfect wife. The thought was outrageous and positively laughable. As if she would ever agree to marry such a man as he._

 _As she walked she caught the snapping of a twig somewhere near here and looked about her, scanning the surrounding area. She was at least two and a half miles from either Longbourn or Meryton and thought herself to be completely alone. Therefore, when Mr Wickham stepped out from behind a nearby tree, she startled and gasped in surprise._

" _Mr Wickham! You scared me! I thought myself to be alone out here." She chuckled and gave him a friendly smile._

 _However, the one he returned was not quite that of friendship._

" _Elizabeth," She was immediately put on guard by the use of her Christian name, "How lucky that I might find you out here."_

 _His words were slurred slightly and his grin took on a menacing characteristic, and she immediately realised the danger she was in. She began to back away from the impaired red coat, trying to put as much distance between them as possible, but he quickly caught on and followed her as she retreated. Unexpectedly, Elizabeth's back hit a tree, preventing her from taking a step further. In a split second decision, she picked up her skirts the slightest bit, turned and ran._

 _She didn't get more than a few yards before the Lieutenant caught up and lunged at her, tackling her to the ground and pinning her beneath him with the weight of his body. She struggled hard, kicking and striking out at the scoundrel, but it was no great difficulty for a man of Mr Wickham's stature and build to restain the petite woman below him._

 _Tears stung Elizabeth's eyes and her breath caught in her throat when she felt one of his filthy hands slip under the layers of her skirts and roughly and forcefully caress her skin. He started low and worked his way torturously north. The higher he got, the more she panicked and the hard she fought him, desperate to get away. Without warning, he forced her legs apart and settled his knees on against the tender flesh of either inner thigh to ensure she could not close them._

 _And then he had done the unthinkable._

 _She screamed in pain and hot tears poured from her eyes, back across her temples and into her hair. He let out a groan of pleasure and paused only for a moment, then he began to move, forcing himself upon her again and again. She cried out and sobbed with each vicious thrust of his hips, and soon the pain was too intense to even fight back._

 _When he noticed she was no longer actively resisting him he ceased holding her down, and his hands began their slow, degrading exploration of her body. He scratched and squeezed and she knew there would be bruises within a matter of hours._

 _He grunted and moaned, and she felt sick to her stomach with shame. Soon his grunts began to increase and within a few moments he had reached his peak and spent himself inside her body._

 _She felt disgusting._

 _Minutes later he got to his feet and readjusted his uniform in an effort to appear as though nothing happened. She, on the other hand, simply lay there, tears and dirt caking her face. It was too painful to move. He smirked down at her._

" _Thanks for the lay, sweets. Truly, it was great."_

 _With that, he chuckled and walked away, leaving her there vulnerable, injured and alone._

 _Eventually, she managed to gather enough strength and willpower to pick her broken body and spirit up off the hard earth and drag herself home, where she proceeded to clean up, struggle into a nightdress, though it was the middle of the day, and collapse on to her bed. She cried herself to sleep and was not seen again by anyone until the next morning._


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

 _Eventually, she managed to gather enough strength and willpower to pick her broken body and spirit up off the hard earth and drag herself home, where she proceeded to clean up, struggle into a nightdress, though it was the middle of the day, and collapse on to her bed. She cried herself to sleep and was not seen again by anyone until the next morning._

….

She dissolved into sobs and he pulled her to his chest. She buried herself in his arms, hiding her face in his cravat and fisting her hands in his coat as he clutched her tightly.

"Who?" She shook her head. "Who was he, Elizabeth?" She was quiet for a moment, then mumbled something but it was muffled by his cravat and he couldn't hear. "Once more, a bit louder?"

She raised her head and looked down. "George Wickham…" She whispered. She heard him inhale sharply and bit her lip, shame and humiliation threatening to overwhelm her as it had done since the night she had been attacked. Something about Mr Darcy now knowing of her degradation hurt her more than she ever thought possible, for surely he would now think even more lowly of her than he previously had. Her cheeks burned and a steady stream flowed from her eyes, which were now tightly shut.

William noticed her countenance and tightened his hold on her. "Oh, Elizabeth. Hush now, everything will be well. I promise you, he will pay."

She felt oddly safe in his arms and the feeling crashed over her dragging the sobs freely from her lips, and she cried for many long minutes. When her tears were all spent she pulled out of his arms, though she found she missed the comfort and warmth they provided almost immediately, and walked a few feet, keeping her back to him. "I am ruined. How can you bare to be in my presence?"

"This is not your fault." He spoke adamantly, voice firm. "In truth, it is mine. I failed to make something of his character known, and now it has caused you a great deal of pain. Because of my inaction, I have failed you." He hung his head.

"He said from the beginning the two of you had a history, but given the true nature of his character I find I am disinclined to believe his accounts now." She sighed.

"Yes, we do have a history. And knowing him as I do, he has no doubt bent the truth to his liking as to make him seem the victim and blacken my name."

"He has indeed."

"In truth, George Wickham and I have known each other since we were boys…" And he gave her the true account of his experiences with the cad that had hurt her, including what happened to his sweet baby sister, Georgiana, much to his own surprise.

"Oh what a fool I am for having believed him and all his lies!" She exclaimed in grief when he finished.

"Again, I am entirely to blame. Can you ever forgive me?"

She stiffened and her voice took on a tone of hurt. "Why should you care as to whether I forgive you? I am no one to you. Indeed, I am only tolerable to you and believe you hold me in civil disdain."

"No!" William closed the distance and turned her to face him. "I deeply regret the harsh, unfeeling words I spoke at the assembly. As a gentleman, I never should have thought such terrible things, let alone spoken them aloud, whether I believed you could hear me or not. And even so, having grown to know you, you have more than proven me wrong and have, in all honesty, become someone for whom I have the utmost respect," He hesitated, then threw caution to the wind and pressed on, society be damned, "as well as a strong, passionate regard. In the time I have known you, I find you are rarely far from my mind and have come to care very deeply for you. It pains me to see you in such pain, and more so to realize I could have prevented it. I pray you can find it in your heart to forgive me, for my behaviour as well as my inaction, both of which have caused you such harm."

His speech shocked and astounded Elizabeth. In a matter of minutes, he had cleared himself of every charged fault in his character she had ever claimed there to be and left her in awe of the man now standing before her. "You care for me…?"

"Yes. Very much. I find you are a constant in my thoughts, even when I do not wish you to be. I have also discovered that I care not, as I once did, whether society and others would deem you a suitable match for me. I now consider what your opinion on most everything I say and do before I act on them, almost without realization. I want to protect you and provide you comfort whenever possible, if you shall let me of course."

"I believe I care for you as well." She said, thinking for a moment. "When you describe your feelings, I find mine to be very much the same, though I believed them to be hate in the past."

"So you forgive me?"

"Yes. Though when it comes to the matter of my attack, there is nothing to forgive." She offered a small half-smile then looked down and sighed. "I don't know what I am to do now. I will surely be discovered, and after the events of this morning, if my mother is made aware, I fear I may be disowned. If that happens I don't know what I will do."

It grew quiet between them and William took the opportunity to ponder the situation. He couldn't lose her. Not now. Not after discovering she cared for him in return. Not ever. Then, suddenly an idea struck him. It was risky, and asking a great deal after everything she had been through, but it was an indisputable way to protect her, as well as beneficial him because it would thwart his aunt and any other fortune hunters.

Elizabeth let out a shaky breath and it brought his attention back to the present. He reached out and tenderly cupped her cheek, stroking it softly with the pad of his thumb. "It will all be well. I will not let anything bad happen to you ever again."

She looked up at him. "You may not have a say in the matter…"

"In light of the recent goings on you suffered this morning, I fear to ask this of you. However, I feel I must speak." She gazed at him quizzically. "Marry me, dearest, loveliest Elizabeth."


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

 _"_ _In light of the recent goings on you suffered this morning, I fear to ask this of you. However, I feel I must speak." She gazed at him quizzically. "Marry me, dearest, loveliest Elizabeth."_

"Mr Darcy, if you are offering only to protect me-"

"It is not only to protect you, though that is a very great advantage. No. As I said before, I hold you in the highest regard. You are the most remarkable woman of my acquaintance, with your beauty and your singular intelligence and sharp wit. I can imagine no other woman with whom I would ever want to share my life. Please, will you marry me?"

She was quiet for a moment, and he feared he had upset her and she was about to reject him, and then she nodded. "Yes," She whispered. "It would be my honour."

William's face split into a wide smile that showed off dimples she had never known existed before and instantaneously loved, and he leaned forward to place a sweet, lingering kiss upon her brow. "Come. Jane is worried. Let us return to the house." She tensed in his arms, the happy smile that had previously graced her lips now gone and trepidation settling in its place. He hurried to put her at ease. "It's alright, darling. None will harm you while I am here. Besides, I'm quite sure once your mother learns of your reasoning for your refusal this morning, our pre-existing engagement, she will be most understanding and perfectly reasonable. Don't you agree?"

A startled chuckle sprang forth from her lips and she shook her head slightly, that sparkle that he adored so returning momentarily. "Sir, I must ask you to make known to me who you are and what you have done with the proud, sombre Mr Darcy. For you see, my William has never been in such good humour in my presence."

"You will soon discover, my love, that 'your William' does indeed have a sense of humour and quite enjoys a good laugh just as much as you do. I just tend to be rather uncomfortable and reserved by result when in company."

They shared a smile and he helped her replace her spencer before offering Elizabeth his arm and beginning the trek back to Longbourn. When they emerged from the trees a short while later they found Jane and Mr Bingley still meandering through the gardens. Jane caught sight of them first and all but picked up her skirts and ran to them. "Lizzy!"

The elder blonde threw herself at her younger sister and embraced her tightly. Elizabeth's grip on William's arm suddenly became iron and he placed his free hand over the one squeezing him, rubbing his thumb in soothing circles over her bloodless knuckles. Thankfully that was the only outward sign that she was in any pain.

"Elizabeth Octavia Bennet, do not do that to me!" Elizabeth cringed at the use of her middle name, and her intended noticed. "I've been so worried. You ran off without a word and you were gone so long. Then Mr Darcy went to find you and took quite some time to return. Are you well, little sister?"

"I am, dear. Do not fret." It was a lie, and both she and William knew it.

"Indeed, Miss Bennet. I am sorry to have troubled you. I'm afraid my betrothed and I became lost in conversation discussing wedding plans and such, and it slowed our return."

Bingley broke into a large grin, and Jane's blue eyes grew wide. "Your betrothed? But when did this occur?"

"The day before you both left Netherfield if my memory is correct." William looked down at Elizabeth under the pretence of confirmation and she nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "As you can imagine, when you informed me of the unfortunate happenings of this morning, I was worried for my Elizabeth, as we had not told anyone."

"I am sorry for not telling you, dearest Jane, and allowing you to believe my opinions remained the same, but as William has yet to speak with Papa, I did not wish to mention it." She felt guilty for deceiving her most beloved sister, but she could never burden Jane's gentle soul with the knowledge of what happened to her.

"Oh Lizzy, there is nothing to forgive. If you are happy, I am happy for you. Come, we must tell Mama. I am quite sure she will not be angry any longer when she learns why you turned Mr Collins away."

William smirked triumphantly at her when Jane turned away and both couples made their way back into the house, finding Mrs Bennet in the drawing room just where she had been before. Her face lit when she saw her eldest and Mr Bingley, however, it immediately darkened and her countenance turned cold when she spied Elizabeth.

"Back are you? Pity. Come to gloat that you have doomed our family, you ungrateful, selfish welp?" She glared. "He should have let you drown…"

"Mama!" Jane gasped.

All eyes turned to glance at Elizabeth and watched as her already red eyes filled with tears. She bowed her head in shame and unnecessary guilt, biting her lip to hide its quivering. William stepped forward immediately to shield his wife-to-be.

"That is quite enough, madam!" He growled. "I will not tolerate you abusing her in such a fashion. Especially for something, you believe to be her fault but most certainly was not!"

Mrs Bennet's eyes grew wide and furious, "Oh, you will not tolerate it, Mr Darcy? How dare you tell me how to parent my own children! You know not whom you defend, sir! That selfish girl would rather see her family thrown out of the only home she has ever known upon her father's death instead of doing her duty to her family and marrying her cousin as to become Longbourn's next mistress. Instead of my son, who could have saved his poor mother and sisters from being cast out into the cold, I am left with the other one!"

A soft, choked sob left Elizabeth.

"Why did it have to be my sweet boy? Why could it not have been his impertinent sister?" Mrs Bennet lamented.

"Mother!" Finally, Jane intervened, "Lizzy could not agree to marry Mr Collins for she is already engaged to Mr Darcy. He asked for her hand before she and I departed from Netherfield Park."

Mrs Bennet stared in stunned silence, and William took the opportunity to draw Elizabeth close. The motion was quickly becoming a favourite thing of his. He held her to his side, closer than a normal situation would deem proper, and wrapped his arm defiantly about her as she fought hard to keep her countenance.

Suddenly the Bennet matriarch's face broke into a wide smile and she clapped her hands happily. "Oh, this is such wonderful news! You sneaky, clever girl! You never said a word!"

As Mrs Bennet babbled, Darcy stepped towards his friend and soon-to-be sister, passing a still shaken and emotionally vulnerable Elizabeth into Jane's arms.

"Take care of her for me. I must go speak with your father and I would greatly appreciate it if you kept Mrs Bennet away from her. She's done enough damage, I believe." He murmured quietly. Jane and Bingley nodded, Jane, holding her younger sister protectively to her while Charles stepped closer, as though to guard the petite brunette. With that, William caressed Elizabeth's arm, pressed a secretive kiss to the place between her brows, and slipped from the room, heading in the direction of Mr Bennet's study.


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

 _As Mrs Bennet babbled, Darcy stepped towards his friend and soon-to-be sister, passing a still shaken and emotionally vulnerable Elizabeth into Jane's arms._

 _"_ _Take care of her for me. I must go speak with your father and I would greatly appreciate it if you kept Mrs Bennet away from her. She's done enough damage, I believe." He murmured quietly. Jane and Bingley nodded, Jane, holding her younger sister protectively to her while Charles stepped closer, as though to guard the petite brunette. With that, William caressed Elizabeth's arm, pressed a secretive kiss to the place between her brows, and slipped from the room, heading in the direction of Mr Bennet's study._

 _ **Monday, 04 November 1811**_

 _ **Mr Bennet's Study, Longbourn**_

It had taken quite a bit of convincing before Mr Bennet was obliged to give the couple his blessing. As a father, it was hard to see past the comment William had made pertaining to his most beloved daughter upon their initial meeting.

"I beg your pardon?" Elizabeth's father demanded with raised eyebrows after William asked for his blessing.

"I request your blessing to marry your daughter, sir," William repeated.

"Marry my daughter? Which one?"

"Miss Elizabeth, sir. I have asked for the honour of her hand, some days ago in fact, and she has accepted me. We wish for you to bless the union."

Mr Bennet stared. "Elizabeth? My Lizzy? She has agreed to marry you? But how can this be? The two of you do not even like one another. You yourself have admitted to finding her merely tolerable. Why on earth would you wish to marry?"

"Indeed you are quite wrong, I assure you. The statement I made was before I had the pleasure of getting to know Miss Elizabeth, and since that time I have learned that it was greatly in error. When it was brought to my attention that my words were heard, I made quick to rectify my mistake and have since apologized profusely. I have also been forgiven." The last part was spoken with a note of relief before he continued, "In the time I have come to know your second daughter, I find that I have developed a deep regard for her, and I find myself to have fallen very much in love with her."

"So we have established the matter of your changed opinion where my girl is concerned, but what of her feelings on the subject."

"I will not pretend to know her exact feelings, however, she has expressed to me, once I righted the many wrongs she lay at my feet, that she found her feelings to be quite similarly aligned with mine. If you wish for more specifics or clarification, I'm afraid you must turn your inquiries to her."

And Mr Bennet did just that. Though mildly impressed with the younger man's respectful yet firmed replies, he called for Elizabeth to join them from where she had been waiting in the parlour, dutifully guarded by her older sister and likely-soon-to-be brother. When in the study he proceeded to question her as to her thoughts and reasoning behind agreeing to Mr Darcy's proposal. However, after speaking with his second eldest to hear her view, and seeing how the two interacted, the Bennet patriarch sighed. He had not missed the connection between them. From the moment his favourite entered her father's beloved book room, she had gone to Darcy's side and that is where she remained throughout the conversation, once in awhile casting meaningful glances at the gentleman, who would brush her hand tenderly but ever gentle in response.

"Yes, alright. I give you my blessing." Mr Bennet nodded after a time.

"Oh, Papa, truly?" Elizabeth asked, voice soft but filled with hope as her hand sought and gripped William's firmly. She had not intended to do it and indeed did not notice she had until he squeezed her fingers and covered them with his other warm hand.

"Truly, my dear. I have observed the two of you from the moment you entered this room Lizzy, and though I do not know when it occurred or how it came to be, I see a valuable connection between you both, one that many couples who have been married a great many years never obtain." He turned to William. "I give you my permission to marry her, but know this sir. That is my most treasured child whose hand you hold so sweetly, and I would not part with her for just anyone. The day she was born and I gazed upon those lovely, intelligent features I made a promise to myself and to my daughter that I would only part with her for a man truly worthy of my greatest joy. A man who would value and respect and prize her as much as I do."

"I will sir, you have my word as a man of honour. She will be cherished and well provided for all of her days."

….

William and Elizabeth mutually decided that it would be best to marry quickly and without much fuss, two things Mrs Bennet adamantly opposed and bemoaned when her wishes were disregarded. They chose to forego a lengthy engagement and the wedding was set to occur the morning of the Netherfield ball, three weeks away. Just enough time for the reading of the bans and an announcement in the paper that would be put off until the last possible second.

Everything started off quite well. The engagement was ordered to be kept within the family. William did not want gossip to reach certain persons who would see that the wedding never occurred. It was agreed that the only resident of Netherfield Park that should be privy to the knowledge was the master himself. As Bingley was the only member of his family to attend church every Sunday, it was not terribly difficult to keep the information from his sisters.

Elizabeth and William travelled to London on the Monday after the first reading to attend to business and preparations. They left separately of course, for the sake of keeping up appearances, with her in the carriage and he on horseback until they were some five miles from Meryton. Once they were certain they would not be seen, however, William tied his mount to the back of the conveyance and joined his betrothed inside, where the shades were drawn and she immediately settled into his embrace. They rode in this attitude until they reached the outskirts of the _ton_ where Darcy once again mounted his horse and they completed the sojourn.

Elizabeth had been invited to reside with her aunt and uncle Gardiner during the stay. As Mrs Gardiner was to help her obtain her wedding trousseau and gown, Elizabeth was forced to tell her about the assault and explain the situation the morning after they arrived. She insisted William be with her when she told Aunt Maddie, and it turned out to be a wise forethought. She had barely been able to lift the hem of her skirts to expose the bruises along her lower legs before the tears and flashbacks began.

Upon hearing of the attack her dear niece had suffered and seeing the ghastly discolourations marring her once creamy skin, Madeline Gardiner felt quite ill. The sick feeling soon turned to stunned fascination, though, as she beheld what followed. By the end of the retelling, Elizabeth was near tears, but before her aunt could make a move to comfort her, she was amazed to witness her niece's betrothed, who had not spoken a word beyond the initial greetings and held a stoic, grim look about him for most of his visit, suddenly discard propriety as a whole and gather the petite brunette into his embrace. Mrs Gardiner could only watch as the young man's seemingly cold countenance melted away at the sight of Elizabeth's eminent distress and he wrapped her tightly in his arms.

"Hush now, my love. You are safe." He whispered softly. "I am here and I will never let anything happen to you again."

Elizabeth sniffed and hiccupped as she cried, her face hidden in William's cravat as had become its natural home.

"Breathe slowly, dearest. It would not due to have you growing ill. You are safe now. Hear my words, Elizabeth, you are safe."

Eventually, she did calm, though it did take quite some minutes, and even once her tears had ceased she still was not quite herself. It was for this reason Mrs Gardiner did not mind the impropriety of the way young Mr Darcy kept his arms around her, holding her close to him and every so often pressing a kiss to Elizabeth's dark curls.


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

 _Eventually, she did calm, though it did take quite some minutes, and even once her tears had ceased she still was not quite herself. It was for this reason Mrs Gardiner did not mind the impropriety of the way young Mr Darcy kept his arms around her, holding her close to him and every so often pressing a kiss to Elizabeth's dark curls._

The couple were in London for a total of four days, in which Darcy had the marriage settlement drawn up, made the proper arrangements for the upcoming nuptials, and obtained the marriage licence, while Elizabeth, with the help of her favourite aunt, attended all the necessary fittings and shopping excursions required to place the orders for her new wardrobe and wedding dress. While in town, William also informed his Fitzwilliam relations of his impending matrimonial bliss and extended invitations to stay at Netherfield for the upcoming events, with Bingley's permission of course.

"What of your sister?" Elizabeth asked one day while they sat in the parlour of her aunt and uncle's home.

"She is at Pemberley, but I have written to her some weeks ago to inform her of our engagement and upcoming marriage. She wrote back to say she is very pleased I have found someone that makes me happy and she is very eager to meet you. She will arrive at Netherfield with the Matlocks before the wedding."

Upon their return to Hertfordshire time passed rather quickly. There was much fuss at the Bennet residence as Mrs Bennet ran around trying to plan everything to perfection. William called with Charles every day and he would steal Elizabeth away for a period of time to rescue her from her mother's incessant jabbering. They would take a walk to Oakham Mount each morning where they would sit and talk for an hour or sometimes more about anything and everything that crossed their minds. In the afternoons Elizabeth would help with the needed planning and arranging.

Everything was going well, until an incident one week before the set date. Elizabeth had been walking from the drawing room when her youngest sister rounded the corner much more quickly than appropriate in the house, carelessly running into her and spilling a glass of red wine down the front of Elizabeth's dress. They both teetered from the force of the collision and in an attempt to catch herself, Lydia grasped her sister's hips, putting a great deal of pressure on the particularly vicious bruises there that had been slow to heal.

Elizabeth choked out a cry of shock and pain, then quickly scurried up the stairs to her room. She hadn't expected to be followed and was in the midst of changing when she heard a gasp from behind her. She turned in surprise to see Lydia standing in the doorway, wide-eyed and staring at her in horror.

"L-Lizzy?" The girl stuttered, blue eyes round and staring at Elizabeth's body, still covered in bruises in varying stages of healing.

"Lydia!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Lydia shut the door! Please, I beg of you!"

The young blonde did as she was told, closing the bedroom door in almost a trance, her eyes never leaving the elder girl's battered form. "Lizzy, what happened to you?"

Unbidden, the memories flashed in her mind, and her eyes filled with pain and fear, as well as the tears that always seemed to well when she thought on the unpleasant event, and her gaze lowered to the floor. Lydia grew worried. She had never seen her strong, resilient sister look as she did now, and it scared her, for whatever had happened to her to cause this must truly be quite terrible.

She stepped closer. "Please, Lizzy. Tell me."

And so she did. She told her youngest sister everything that occurred during the attack. At first, Lydia refused to believe that a man she held in high regard, an officer in the King's army, could do something so vile-

"No, no! You lie! My Wickham could never do such things!"

-But as she watched the pain in Elizabeth's tear-filled eyes, she knew her sister spoke the bitter, ugly truth. The fifteen-year-old girl suddenly came to a startling realization of her own and dissolved into tears herself, throwing herself into her the older girl's arms.

"Oh, Lizzy, what have I done? It could have so easily been me. I should have listened to you and Jane more in recent years and not behaved in such a silly, foolish manner! Can you ever forgive me?"

Elizabeth hugged Lydia close to her and smoothed her hair soothingly. "Of course I forgive you, darling. I'm glad that if I must have suffered such an ordeal, at least something good has come out of it and you have seen the error of your ways. However, you must promise me you will not tell a soul of my shame. No one apart from William knows and it must remain that way. Am I understood?"

"I swear it to you, Lizzy. I shall never breathe a word of it to anyone." Lydia vowed with a sniffle and for the next several minutes the two simply sat together, Lydia content to have her big sister hold her and protect her from the rashness of the world, if only for a bit.

Over the course of the last week before the wedding, Lydia grew noticeably closer to Elizabeth, as well as fiercely protective. She always made sure no one touched her older sister, besides Mr Darcy and a select few, and she took it upon herself to ensure Elizabeth had her shawl at all times. The dark discolouration on her arms had mostly faded apart from one or two more harsh ones above her elbows and disappearing up under her sleeves. Lydia also refused to allow anyone other than herself to help her sister change clothes. This Elizabeth was exceedingly grateful for, as she had been struggling to dress without help this past fortnight.

The morning of the wedding, Elizabeth awoke from her first peaceful night's rest in many weeks to find all four of her sisters standing around her bed and smiling down at her. She smiled back.

"I am to be married today!" The girls all giggled and she sat up.

"Jane, would you, Kitty, and Mary distract Mama while I help Lizzy dress?" Jane nodded and led her middle sisters from the room and down the stairs.

Elizabeth looked at herself in the mirror after Lydia helped her into her gown. It was stunning. White satin, with a minimal amount of lace trimming the open neckline and the bottom of the gown, and red silk ribbon tied about the waist and edging the sleeves. Her hair was pinned up in smooth glossy ringlets atop her head, with tiny red rosebuds nestled in amongst the curls. While she had been bathing a velvet box had been delivered, and inside it was a note and a breathtaking ruby and pearl inlaid comb tiara, small and delicate and lovely, given as a wedding gift by Elizabeth's soon-to-be aunt, Lady Matlock. Once her hair was done and her dress adorned, Lydia placed the stunning piece of jewellery and used it to assist in holding the veil in its place. The veil itself was a work of art, sheer, with exquisite needlepoint lace design around the edges that Elizabeth and her sisters had made themselves.

The last thing to be added warmed Elizabeth's heart. After learning of Wickham's attack, Lydia had sacrificed her allowance to purchase a beautiful red silk shawl that she knew would match the accent ribbons on her elder sister's wedding gown, and she spent a great deal of time embroidering little green vines and white flowers across the expanse of the fine material. Each flower had a tiny, shining pearl in its centre that was later discovered to match perfectly with Lady Matlock's gifted comb. When Elizabeth asked, Lydia informed her that it was meant to help hide the few light bruises that still marked her arms. It was a wonderful, thoughtful gift and the two had shared a tight embrace. It was the ideal finishing touch to the ensemble.

Elizabeth stared at her reflection in the mirror, completely baffled at what she saw.


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

 _The last thing to be added warmed Elizabeth's heart. After learning of Wickham's attack, Lydia had sacrificed her allowance to purchase a beautiful red silk shawl that she knew would match the accent ribbons on her elder sister's wedding gown, and she spent a great deal of time embroidering little green vines and white flowers across the expanse of the fine material. Each flower had a tiny, shining pearl in its centre that was later discovered to match perfectly with Lady Matlock's gifted comb. When Elizabeth asked, Lydia informed her that it was meant to help hide the few light bruises that still marked her arms. It was a wonderful, thoughtful gift and the two had shared a tight embrace. It was the ideal finishing touch to the ensemble._

 _Elizabeth stared at her reflection in the mirror, completely baffled at what she saw._ Her mother had made it very clear to her from a very early age that, while all of the Bennet daughters were quite beautiful, she was not, nor would she ever be, the most beautiful of her sisters. Indeed, not even the second most beautiful. Therefore, to see herself as she looked now, the picture of loveliness and glowing with wedding day joy, she was speechless.

"You look glorious, Lizzy!" Her youngest sister effused as she looked over Elizabeth's shoulder to see the vision in the mirror as well.

"I do."

"You sound surprised, sister dear." Lydia mused. "Did you not believe it would be so?"

"Of course I had hoped," Elizabeth started as she emerged from the fog that had momentarily subdued her thought process, "but I did not expect to appear so well."

"You appear more than merely well, Lizzy. I dare say you will have Mr Darcy quite at a loss for words. I do hope he will be able, at the very least, to recite his vows." Both sisters giggled and Elizabeth pondered the thought. She dearly hoped he would.

She and William had grown very close since that day in the clearing in the woods when he had discovered her shame and still proclaimed his love for her and asked for her hand. As the time passed, and they grew to know one another more and more, Elizabeth came to realize just how deeply wrong she had been about him.

William was quite honestly unlike any man she had ever met, possibly apart from her father. Underneath the cold, proud exterior, he was warm and kind and thoughtful. He was very educated and they were able to converse on a multitude of subjects, and he never made her feel like an oddity for being equally as knowledgeable on most topics. Quite often it was the opposite. He would commend her for the amount she knew. They could sit for ages if left undisturbed and discuss anything from History and Politics to Literature and Art, agreeing on some areas and disagreeing in others, which usually led to a hearty debate with each of them spouting facts and references and ideas to defend their own side.

He was also surprisingly thoughtful. He sometimes brought her flowers he had seen on a ride that he knew she would love when he and Charles came to call on she and Jane. Other times he would take time out of his day to attend her when she went to visit the tenants of Longbourn, helping her pack and carry supplies baskets as well as distributing the things in them. On one particular occasion, as she had chatted with one of the new mothers, Elizabeth turned to glance at her fiance, only to suddenly find him no longer where he had been moments before. When she went in search of him, what she found melted her heart and made her smile. He had been drawn away by some of the village children and when she stumbled upon the group, he had Duncan Hawkins, age seven, on his back and little Rebecca Miller, age three, poised upon his toes as he spun in little circles, a brilliant smile gracing his lips. It was the first time she had seen such an interaction from him and made her increasingly hopeful for their future together. The sight of his extraordinary dimples made the sight all the sweeter. The scene made her imagine a point in their coming lives ahead when it might be their own children he acted so freely with, and those thoughts caused

When she deemed her ready, Lydia led her second eldest sister down to the drawing room where their family waited. They entered, and their sisters and aunts Gardiner and Phillips all fawned over Elizabeth's bridal beauty and what a wonderful job Lydia had done in helping her. Mrs Bennet took one cursory look at her most difficult child and began to lament about the lack of lace on the gown. The men in the room simply shushed the woman and congratulated Elizabeth, growing glossy eyed and nostalgic.

When the time came to make their way to the church, the party filed out to the three waiting carriages. The Phillips, Bennet's and Gardiners were split between two while Lydia, Elizabeth and Mr Bennet rode exclusively in the Darcy carriage William had sent especially for his bride. At the church, the family took their seats, and then suddenly her father was walking her down the aisle.


End file.
